Models suing San Angelo strip club for $1M now suing former Wichita Falls nightclub

SAN ANGELO — Four women who are part of $1 million-dollar lawsuit against a San Angelo strip club have joined another lawsuit filed against a former nightclub in Wichita Falls, according to a report by the Times-Record News, a sister publication of the Standard-Times.

The lawsuit alleges images of the women — among them former Playboy models, actresses and fashion models — were misappropriated and published without consent and amounted to an invasion of privacy and negligence.

Models sue former Wichita Falls nightclub

Eleven models living in California and Florida have sued a former Wichita Falls nightclub for using their images, including editing them, without permission in "sexually-charged" posts.

The suit, filed Friday afternoon in the 30th District Court, alleges that Denim and Diamonds of Wichita Falls committed an invasion of privacy by misappropriation, negligence and theft.

The group is seeking over $1 million in damages due to the actions being "more than monetary thoughtlessness or inadvertence," the suit states.

Denim & Diamonds club located in the 3900 block of Kell access road, is closing except for pre-scheduled concerts(Photo: CHRISTOPHER WALKER/TIMES RECORD NEWS)

The Wichita Falls' Denim and Diamonds nightclub shut down in April 2017, according to a Times Record News article.

The petition also names Irina Voronina, Jessica Hinton, Lina Posada and Paola Canas, who are plaintiffs in another lawsuit filed in Tom Green County against Pgc I Entertainment Inc. and Pgc II Entertainment Inc., both doing business as Desiree's Gentlemen's Club San Angelo.

"On many of the promotional materials used by Denim & Diamonds, art images of Plaintiffs are doctored to make it appear that they are employees working in Denim & Diamonds or that they endorse" the nightclub, the suit alleges.

According to court documents, the photos are often manipulated digitally to make it appear that the models are present in the venue and then used in online posts and web pages advertising the club or its events.

"The Plaintiffs were depicted in various sexually-charged social media and Internet posts, social media posts, and internet pages encouraging patrons to visit Denim & Diamonds," the lawsuit alleges.

The suit claims Denim and Diamonds was aware of their actions and chose to still use the models' likeness without permission.

The models are seeking pecuniary damages resulting from the unauthorized use of their images and likeness in the past and in the future; attorney fees and costs; court costs; pre- and post-judgment interest; and exemplary damages.

Female models sue San Angelo strip club

In April 2017, 14 women — among them a UFC Octagon Girl, a 2009 Miss Cuba and multiple Playboy models — filed a petition suing Desiree's Gentlemen's Club San Angelo, accusing the business of misappropriating their images.

Court documents said that all suing parties are internationally well-known models who earn substantial amounts of money marketing their images and providing endorsements, branding and other usages associated with their images.

The petition said the club used professionally taken photos as well as "selfies" of the women to promote its business.

The lawsuit says the models' images were published without their consent and were used on the Internet and social media in such a way that implied the women either worked as strippers at the club or promoted or endorsed Desiree's even though none of their images were ever intended to promote sexually oriented businesses.